Anytime you see civil lawsuits and take a look at the actual 'action' that created them, you have to wonder if it's just greedy-ass lawyers wanting to pile on the desire for more money or if there's a real human condition that can be quantified called 'Pain and suffering' or sometimes 'Mental cruelty'.
While I think it's impossible to put a true value on what the cost of that condition really is, (does one count years of therapy, either mental or physical, or the relationship cost for those that have to live with the victim, or the loss of income due to the fragile mental state?) I think almost all of us can realistically know what it feels like whether we've been a true victim or not.
And we can because of the two most recent national news stories over the last several weeks, the Sandy Hook shootings and the Fiscal Cliff.
I am NOT going to get into the actual tragedy or political positioning for either of those, however, the 24-hour news cycle with both graphic images and details as well as political rhetoric in combination with social media is perpetuating some form of 'mental cruelty' on the American public.
The constant inundation into our lives probably drives 60% of America's psychological state on a daily basis.
Now, please do not take this post as a call for the death of the news media and profession. But do take it as a human-to-human warning that we need to all step back and recognize when these constant images, commentary and 'liking and sharing' of any one of a millions memes starts taking it's mental toll on our psyche.
While Sandy Hook was horrible in every possible way, after the first day, I really just didn't watch the news and avoided the vast majority of posts or direct messages to me. I'm not being cruel or insensitive. I'm the Father of a five-year old and ensure that every day I do as much as possible to keep him safe but at the same time, I realize that there really IS nothing I could do to change what happened.
As for the Fiscal Cliff and our elected morons in Washington, when you step back and recognize that these same idiots are the same people who waited until the night before the final exams in college to cram and study to eek out a C so they could still get their degrees and are now employed next to you, you stop worrying about whether or not things are going to get done.
Whether or not their decisions put me or my great-grandchildren in better or worse financial position is out of my control. Not to the point that I'm helpless but frankly, all I can do is play the hand dealt me every day, week and year.
Have all of our lives become so boring that we need to wallow in the misery that happens on a regular basis around us in the world? Clearly so since we also feel the need to live vicariously through vapid, wealthy socialites like the Hiltons, Kardashians, Real Housewives and the ridiculously stupid white trash such as Honey Boo Boo, Cajun Gator Hunters and some Hillbilly Pest Control dudes.
Just watch, repeat and then treat with anti-depressants OR turn it off, block it out, recognize it for what it is (mentally draining on us all) and get out of the house and love your family and friends. Trust me, your mental state will be much better AND the world will STILL continue to revolve around you.
